Skip to main content

Hyperthermia deaths among children in parked vehicles: an analysis of 231 fatalities in the United States, 1999–2007

Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology volume 6, pages 99–105 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

Motor vehicle-related child hyperthermia fatalities (MVRCHF) have risen slightly in the past decade, but little research has been done investigating the circumstances surrounding MVRCHF. In order to address gaps in our understanding, the current study describes MVRCHF circumstances among children <1–14 years of age in the United States from 1999 to 2007. Three sources were used to identify child hyperthermia death cases in the United States from 1999 to 2007: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Compressed Mortality File (1999–2004), the Golden Gate Weather Service’s public MVRCHF database (2003-Present), and an independent internet search. Data about the victim’s characteristics and the circumstances surrounding the death were extracted. From 1999 to 2007, 231 MVRCHF were identified. Children were left unattended in >80% of cases, 25% of victims were playing at the time of death, and 60% were male. On average, the core body temperature was 107.2°F after being left inside the vehicle for an average of 4.6 h. The largest number of deaths occurred in the South, followed by the West, Midwest, and Northeast. Parents were found to be accountable for 2/3 of the hyperthermia deaths. The geographic distribution of incidence may be attributable to two major influences: (1) regional climate differences; and (2) population characteristics. The accountability of parents for MVRCHF is likely due to the exposure-risk concept, in which the situation/circumstances increase the injury probability.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

References

  1. Accidental deaths of children in US decline. In: Reuters foundation AlertNet: alerting humanitarians to emergencies. 2008. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N28500260.htm. Accessed 6 May 2008.

  2. WISQARS leading causes of death report, 1999–2005. In: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. 2008. http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/leadcaus10.html. Accessed 6 May 2008.

  3. Null J. Hyperthermia deaths of children in vehicles. San Francisco State University, Department of Geosciences and Golden Gate Weather Services. 2007. http://ggweather.com/heat/. Accessed 15 Dec 2007.

  4. McLaren C, Null J, Quinn J. Heat stress from enclosed vehicles: moderate ambient temperatures cause significant temperature rise in enclosed vehicles. Pediatrics. 2005;116:109–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Surpure JS. The automobile and heat stress. Annu Emerg Med. 1982;11:263–5.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Roberts KB, Roberts EC. The automobile and heat stress. Pediatrics. 1976;58:101–4.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Gibbs LI, Lawrence DW, Kohn MA. Heat exposure in an enclosed automobile. J La State Med Soc. 1995;147:545–6.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Guard A, Gallagher SS. Heat related deaths to young children in parked cars: an analysis of 171 fatalities in the United States, 1995–2002. Inj Prev. 2005;11:33–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Sheridan SC. A survey of public perception and response to heat warnings across four North American cities: an evaluation of municipal effectiveness. Int J Biometeorol. 2007;52:3–15.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Compressed mortality file 1999–2004. CDC WONDER On-line Database, compiled from Compressed Mortality File 1999–2004 Series 20 No. 2J. 2007. http://wonder.cdc.gov/cmf-icd10.html. Accessed 5 Nov 2007.

  11. National Centers for Health Statistics definitions: geographic region and division. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2008. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/datawh/nchsdefs/region.htm. Accessed 6 May 2008.

  12. Climate atlas of the United States [CD ROM]. National Climatic Data Center: US Department of Commerce. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 2006. http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/about/cdrom/climatls2/info/atlasad.html. Accessed 6 May 2008.

  13. Kalkstein LS, Jamason PF, Greene JS, Libby J, Robinson L. The Philadelphia hot weather health watch/warning system: development and application, summer 2005. B Am Meterorol Soc. 1996;77:1519–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. National SAFE KIDS Campaign (NSKC). Childhood injury fact sheet. Washington (DC): NSKC; 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Collins JM. Crime and parenthood: the uneasy case for prosecution of negligent parents. Legal Studies Paper No. 05-08. NC: Wake Forest University Press. 2005. http://ssrn.com/abstract=673451. Accessed 15 Dec 2007.

  16. Pleck JH. Paternal involvement: levels, sources, and consequences. In: Lamb ME, editor. The role of the father in child development. Hillsdale: Erlbaum; 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  17. MacKinnon CE, King D. Day care: a review of literature, implications for policy, and critique of resources. Fam Relat. 1998;37:229–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Heat-related deaths—United States, 1999–2003. Morbidity and mortality weekly report (MMWR). 2006;55(29). http://www.cdc.gov/mmwR/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5529a2.htm. Accessed 4 May 2008.

  19. Whitman S, Good G, Donoghue ER, Benbow N, Shou W, Mou S. Mortality in Chicago attributed to the July 1995 heat wave. Am J of Public Health. 1997;87:1515–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Earl J, Martin A, McCarthy JD, Soule SA. The use of newspaper data in the study of collective action. Annu Rev Sociol. 2004;30:65–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Haider AH, Risucci D, Omer S, Sullivan T, DiRusso S, Slim M, et al. Determination of national pediatric injury prevention priorities using the injury prevention priority score. J Pediatr Surg. 2004;39:976–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This project was not funded or supported by any outside agency.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1665 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA

    John N. Booth III, John Waterbor & Gerald McGwin Jr.

  2. Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner Office, 1515 6th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA

    Gregory G. Davis

  3. Department of Medicine, Section of Adult and Pediatric Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, University of Chicago, 5841 South Maryland Avenue, MC 1027, AMB M-267, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA

    John N. Booth III

Authors
  1. John N. Booth III
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Gregory G. Davis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. John Waterbor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Gerald McGwin Jr.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to John N. Booth III.

Additional information

The primary investigator for this project is the first author John N. Booth, III.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Booth, J.N., Davis, G.G., Waterbor, J. et al. Hyperthermia deaths among children in parked vehicles: an analysis of 231 fatalities in the United States, 1999–2007. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 6, 99–105 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-010-9149-x

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-010-9149-x

Keywords

  • Hyperthermia
  • Vehicle-related child hyperthermia
  • Child hyperthermia
  • Hyperthermia fatalities
  • Hyperthermia death
  • Child death